KwaZulu-Natal is located in the south-east of South Africa bordering the Indian Ocean. It also borders on the Eastern Cape, Free State and Mpumalanga provinces, as well as Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique. The ‘Garden Province’ of South Africa stretches from the lush subtropical east coast washed by the warm Indian Ocean, to the sweeping savanna in the east and the majestic Drakensberg Mountain Range in the west.
It covers an area of 94 361km², the third-smallest in the country, and has a population of 11 065 240, making it the second most populous province in South Africa. The capital is Pietermaritzburg. The largest city is Durban. Other major cities and towns include Richards Bay, Port Shepstone, Newcastle, Estcourt, Ladysmith and Richmond.
The province’s manufacturing sector is the largest in terms of contribution to GDP. Richards Bay is the centre of operations for South Africa’s aluminium industry. The Richards Bay Coal Terminal is instrumental in securing the country’s position as the second-largest exporter of steam coal in the world. The province has undergone rapid industrialisation owing to its abundant water supply and labour resources.
Map of South Africa showing KwaZulu Natal
Agriculture is also central to the economy. The sugar cane plantations along the coastal belt are the mainstay of KwaZulu-Natal’s agriculture.
The coastal belt is also a large producer of subtropical fruit, while the farmers inland concentrate on vegetable, dairy and stock farming. Another source of income is forestry in the areas around Vryheid, Eshowe, Richmond, Harding and Ngome.
KwaZulu-Natal is divided into one metropolitan municipality (eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality) and 10 district municipalities, which are further subdivided into 43 local municipalities.
KwaZulu-Natal municipalities
eThekwini Metropolitan
Amajuba District Dannhauser eMadlangeni Newcastle
Harry Gwala District Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Greater Kokstad Ubuhlebezwe Umzimkhulu iLembe District KwaDukuza Mandeni Maphumulo Ndwedwe
King Cetshwayo District City of uMhlathuze Mthonjaneni Nkandla uMfolozi uMlalazi Ugu District Ray Nkonyeni Umdoni Umuziwabantu Umzumbe
uMgungundlovu District Impendle Mkhambathini Mpofana Msunduzi Richmond uMngeni uMshwathi
uMkhanyakude District Big 5 Hlabisa Jozini Mtubatuba uMhlabuyalingana
uMzinyathi District Endumeni Nquthu uMsinga Umvoti
uThukela District Alfred Duma Inkosi Langalibalele Okhahlamba
Zululand District AbaQulusi eDumbe Nongoma Ulundi uPhongolo
